In episode 11 of The Van Life Lab podcast, we talk we cat owner, biologist, and dog trainer, Kayla Fratt, about all things Van Life with a cat.  We start off by hearing her story about how she became the proud owner of “Ditch Cat”, a stray cat she found just weeks before embarking on the Pan American Highway.  Which of course leads us into discussing her van life journey along the PanAm with 2 dogs, and a cat.  Be sure to listen to episode 4 if you are interested in van life with dogs specifically. 

After learning generally what living with a cat in a van is like, we learn what to look for if you are specifially selecting a cat for van life.  Kayla hones in on three cat characteristics: adaptable, confident, and optimistic, and why they are important for van life.   She also digs in to how you can prepare your cat for van life while sharing specific recommendations like a Tractive GPS collar, comfortable Harness/Leash combos, backpacks for adventure,and more.

Before closing out, Kayla and the Engineers who Van Life do “quick” round of pros and cons of doing van life with cats.

We are so excited to share this episode with you and hope that it equips you with the knowledge to conquer van life with a cat if you so desire! Thanks for listening to Van Life Lab, and we hope to see you next week.  

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If you're just getting started to outfit your van for a cat, here are some of the products Kayla recommends for success on the road.

Headliner Shelf as the cat's home. Vancillary makes great DIY headliner shelves and brackets and is definitely the way to go! USE CODE "EWVL" for 10% off your purchase!

Tractive GPS collar - $20/month sub is a bummer, but it's lightest for the cat and works well off phone, the app lets you draw virtual fences and get notified if the cat wanders. 

RC Pets harness/leash combo - honestly GREAT. Soft, adjustable, and Norbert happily wears it like 18 hours a day.

For backpacking with your cat Kayla uses this collapsable and portable cat backpack. And it's mostly mesh so it's best for air flow, has no dumb plastic bits, and has pockets for phone/keys.